Update on I-69 Extension in Indiana

[tdindy88]

So that'll give IN 3 widely separated sections of IN 37?  One would think that INDOT would seriously consider renumbering the northern two segments, seeing as how they've essentially been truncated beyond recognition as a through route. 

This might go more in the realm of Fictional Highways or just the general Indiana post itself but I was giving this idea some thought a while back. I'd make all of SR 37 from Fishers north to Marion an extension of SR 15. I'd decommission the current SR 15 from Marion to Gas City (a rather small and insignificant segment as it is) and multiplex SR 15 with SR 9 around Marion before both highways resume their regular route. Looking at a map of the state, SR 15 would run from the Michigan line south all the way to the Indianapolis metro area at I-69.

Or, if one really wants to preserve the grid, run SR 15 from Wabash straight south to Elwood along current SR 13, multiplex it with 13 for a few miles south of Elwood and then follow the remainder of the SR 37 route all the way to Fishers with SR 13 resuming its regular course toward Fortville. SR 13 would travel southeast from Wabash to Marion along current SR 15's route and then follow the current SR 37 southwest to Elwood from there.

As for SR 37 northeast of Fort Wayne, I'm not really sure what you could call that, you could use just about anything probably.

[SW Indiana]

They got a hotel at US 231 and I-69? Is that area that popular? 

Also on gas stations, there's one maybe a mile or two east of of the interstate on SR 64 in Oakland City. There's also a station at the intersection of SR 68 and SR 57 about a mile east of Exit 22.

Yea it's about 3/4 mile south of the the interchange, along the east side of US 231. It's a Sleep Inn/Mainstay Suites. The area is very rural, other than Crane.

[hbelkins]

They got a hotel at US 231 and I-69? Is that area that popular? 

Also on gas stations, there's one maybe a mile or two east of of the interstate on SR 64 in Oakland City. There's also a station at the intersection of SR 68 and SR 57 about a mile east of Exit 22.

Yea it's about 3/4 mile south of the the interchange, along the east side of US 231. It's a Sleep Inn/Mainstay Suites. The area is very rural, other than Crane.

They got a hotel at US 231 and I-69? Is that area that popular?

Maybe not right around the interchange, but it could be a good spot to handle demand when all the hotels at Bloomington are filled, as well as any need for Crane.

Proximity to Crane might be the reason. There's a Microtel at the Hazleton Road exit on I-68 in West Virginia, which is an extremely rural area. Probably because of the federal prison nearby. And a McDonald's and Sleep Inn were built at the US 50/WV 16 intersection between Parkersburg and Clarksburg, which is also a very rural area. Not sure what the draw there might be, other than the fracking business boom in the area.

[thefro]

They got a hotel at US 231 and I-69? Is that area that popular? 

Also on gas stations, there's one maybe a mile or two east of of the interstate on SR 64 in Oakland City. There's also a station at the intersection of SR 68 and SR 57 about a mile east of Exit 22.

Yea it's about 3/4 mile south of the the interchange, along the east side of US 231. It's a Sleep Inn/Mainstay Suites. The area is very rural, other than Crane.

They got a hotel at US 231 and I-69? Is that area that popular?

Maybe not right around the interchange, but it could be a good spot to handle demand when all the hotels at Bloomington are filled, as well as any need for Crane.

Proximity to Crane might be the reason. There's a Microtel at the Hazleton Road exit on I-68 in West Virginia, which is an extremely rural area. Probably because of the federal prison nearby. And a McDonald's and Sleep Inn were built at the US 50/WV 16 intersection between Parkersburg and Clarksburg, which is also a very rural area. Not sure what the draw there might be, other than the fracking business boom in the area.

Yeah, I'm sure Crane's the primary reason, plus they'll get some overflow business from Bloomington for move-in/graduation at Indiana University, football/basketball games, etc.

[SW Indiana]

On another note, E&B Paving began a $14 million or so patch and rehab project in September, between I-64 and US 231. They are currently working at US 50 and SR 64. Not sure what SR 64 entails, but at US 50, they are fixing pavement that collapsed/sunk on both NB/SB lanes on the overpass, as well as the NB entrance and SB exit ramps.

[cjw2001]

New project web site is up:  https://i69finishline.com/

[X99]

Is Google Maps ever going to acknowledge the fact that Grand Valley Boulevard doesn't connect to SR 37 anymore, or will they wait to do that until the South Street bridge is finished?

[ITB]

Here's a few photos from the I-69 Section 6 Project Update Public Meeting hosted by INDOT at Martinsville High School in Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana, October 21, 2019. This was the first of three project update meetings held by INDOT this week, the other two taking place in Johnson County and Marion County, respectfully. All photos were taken (by me) October 21, 2019.

About 170 people attended the meeting in Martinsville. After a presentation, INDOT project team members and staff from HNTB, the consulting engineering and design firm, were available to answer any and all questions.

As noted in a previous post, INDOT has recast the I-69 Section 6 project as "I-69 Finish Line". There is a new website, plus a new Twitter account, a new Facebook page, and a new Instagram account (links below).

INDOT I-69 Section 6 Project Update Public Meeting, Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana, October 21, 2019














Links:
https://i69finishline.com/
https://twitter.com/I69FinishLine
https://www.facebook.com/I69FinishLine
https://www.instagram.com/i69finishline/

[tdindy88]

My father attended one the meeting at Perry Meridian High School this evening and asked some questions of the people there and got some good answers from INDOT.

First of all, according to the INDOT official, signs along I-69 going northbound from Evansville will be changed next year with Bloomington added as the control city. Based on what I was getting they would leave a space on the BGS to add Indianapolis when I-69 is complete to I-465. Either that or they'll swap out Bloomington for Indianapolis when it's time.

Signage along I-465 around the I-69 interchange will eventually feature Evansville for the southbound control city, but only when construction is complete, including the reconstruction of I-465 on the south side. Based on what my dad was telling me they'll be doing something similar to I-465 on the south side from what they did on the west side about ten years ago, a similar style of highway.

According to the INDOT official as well, they are aware that the mile markers are off on I-69 north of Indianapolis And the plan will be to redo them when Section 6 is completed, so the mile markers will be corrected to what they should be.

Finally, the maps online already reflect this but it seems that the Henderson Ford Road interchange now features roundabouts as well as the SR 144 interchange, which has been redesigned a little as well. Otherwise everything else seems as it is now. 

And yes, SR 37 will be gone from Bloomington to Indianapolis.

[rickmastfan67]

According to the INDOT official as well, they are aware that the mile markers are off on I-69 north of Indianapolis And the plan will be to redo them when Section 6 is completed, so the mile markers will be corrected to what they should be.

But will they renumber the exits too?

[tdindy88]

According to the INDOT official as well, they are aware that the mile markers are off on I-69 north of Indianapolis And the plan will be to redo them when Section 6 is completed, so the mile markers will be corrected to what they should be.

But will they renumber the exits too?

I would assume that they would renumber the exits along with the mile markers.

[abqtraveler]

My father attended one the meeting at Perry Meridian High School this evening and asked some questions of the people there and got some good answers from INDOT.

First of all, according to the INDOT official, signs along I-69 going northbound from Evansville will be changed next year with Bloomington added as the control city. Based on what I was getting they would leave a space on the BGS to add Indianapolis when I-69 is complete to I-465. Either that or they'll swap out Bloomington for Indianapolis when it's time.

Signage along I-465 around the I-69 interchange will eventually feature Evansville for the southbound control city, but only when construction is complete, including the reconstruction of I-465 on the south side. Based on what my dad was telling me they'll be doing something similar to I-465 on the south side from what they did on the west side about ten years ago, a similar style of highway.

According to the INDOT official as well, they are aware that the mile markers are off on I-69 north of Indianapolis And the plan will be to redo them when Section 6 is completed, so the mile markers will be corrected to what they should be.

Finally, the maps online already reflect this but it seems that the Henderson Ford Road interchange now features roundabouts as well as the SR 144 interchange, which has been redesigned a little as well. Otherwise everything else seems as it is now. 

And yes, SR 37 will be gone from Bloomington to Indianapolis.

Did the folks from INDOT make any mention of what side of I-465 that I-69 will follow (e.g., north-west vs. south-east), or are they still considering the possibility of running I-69 through downtown?

[sprjus4]

My father attended one the meeting at Perry Meridian High School this evening and asked some questions of the people there and got some good answers from INDOT.

First of all, according to the INDOT official, signs along I-69 going northbound from Evansville will be changed next year with Bloomington added as the control city. Based on what I was getting they would leave a space on the BGS to add Indianapolis when I-69 is complete to I-465. Either that or they'll swap out Bloomington for Indianapolis when it's time.

Signage along I-465 around the I-69 interchange will eventually feature Evansville for the southbound control city, but only when construction is complete, including the reconstruction of I-465 on the south side. Based on what my dad was telling me they'll be doing something similar to I-465 on the south side from what they did on the west side about ten years ago, a similar style of highway.

According to the INDOT official as well, they are aware that the mile markers are off on I-69 north of Indianapolis And the plan will be to redo them when Section 6 is completed, so the mile markers will be corrected to what they should be.

Finally, the maps online already reflect this but it seems that the Henderson Ford Road interchange now features roundabouts as well as the SR 144 interchange, which has been redesigned a little as well. Otherwise everything else seems as it is now. 

And yes, SR 37 will be gone from Bloomington to Indianapolis.

Did the folks from INDOT make any mention of what side of I-465 that I-69 will follow (e.g., north-west vs. south-east), or are they still considering the possibility of running I-69 through downtown?

99% certain it's just going to follow SR-37's current path on I-465 along the southeast side. It's definitely not going into Downtown, and the northwest routing is out-of-the-way and wouldn't be followed by very many.

[silverback1065]

it is 100% going on the east side. it was never going on the west side, ever.

[edwaleni]

Would like to see the elevation plan for I-69 through Martinsville and how it compares to the last flood (or at least a 100 year flood plan).

Hate to see all that work, just to see it get buried under Lake Morgan once again.

[ITB]

Would like to see the elevation plan for I-69 through Martinsville and how it compares to the last flood (or at least a 100 year flood plan).

Hate to see all that work, just to see it get buried under Lake Morgan once again.

I, too, am interested in the elevation plan for I-69 through the Martinsville area. INDOT and its design contractor, HNTB, are, of course, both aware of the 2008 flood and have planned accordingly. Initially, an overpass was planned to carry Ohio Street over I-69 at the proposed Ohio Street/I-69 interchange. Then the design was revised to have Ohio Street run underneath I-69, which meant the mainline roadway would be elevated substantially with bridges over Ohio Street. Now, according to INDOT's most recently released maps, it appears the design has reverted back to Ohio Street going over I-69. Even with a bridge carrying Ohio Street over I-69, it is very likely the mainline roadway will be elevated to some extent in the vicinity of the Ohio Street interchange. By how much remains the question. I'll look into it.

Currently, just north of the State Road 37/Ohio Street intersection, Sartor Ditch, the waterway which primarily caused the flood of 2008, runs underneath SR 37 via a culvert. Plans are for Sartor Ditch to be realigned and a new, larger culvert to be installed underneath the mainline. The work to install the new culvert as well as construction to elevate the mainline roadway are two of the principal reasons why SR 37 will be completely closed in Martinsville during the 2021 construction season.

Sartor Ditch

Looking south toward Sartor Ditch (right) and the new multi-use path (left) that will connect Martinsville High School to the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass and roadway. Photo was taken November 2, 2019.


The present pipe culverts for Sartor Ditch underneath State Road 37 just north of the SR 37/Ohio Street intersection in Martinsville; looking south. In early June of 2008, a tremendous rainstorm caused Sartor Ditch to overflow it banks and inundate a large section of Martinsville. Near the vicinity of the SR 37/Ohio Street interchange, SR 37 flooded and was closed due to high water. Photo was taken November 24, 2018.


Another view of Sartor Ditch just north of the SR 37/Ohio Street intersection in Martinsville; looking northeast. Photo was taken November 24, 2018.

Here's a link to a set of pictures depicting the 2008 Martinsville flood: https://brokenspoke.blogspot.com/2008/06/flood-of-2008.html Picture No. 4 shows the SR 37/Ohio Street intersection (center-left; a few cars can be seen making their way across SR 37 at Ohio Street).

Here's a video of the 2008 Martinsville flood:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7uo4ZFquLU

[X99]

Questions for ITB:

Is the bridge over Sartor Ditch completed, and is the Grand Valley Boulevard intersection closed? (Also, does the bridge site look right alignment-wise on OpenStreetMap? I moved the lines around a little, so I want to make sure they're still accurate.)

[silverback1065]

drove it twice in 2 days.  it makes sense now that 37 will be designed.  all the existing new signage has been placed in such a way to make removing 37 pretty easy.  i think it's weird at the amount of shields placed along this route, normally they are after every on ramp.  here it's that and in random places in between.  i don't know why 45 isn't signed on the mainline though.  indot desperately tried to get rid of 45 we of 69 and monroe county refused.

[ITB]

Questions for ITB:

Is the bridge over Sartor Ditch completed, and is the Grand Valley Boulevard intersection closed? (Also, does the bridge site look right alignment-wise on OpenStreetMap? I moved the lines around a little, so I want to make sure they're still accurate.)

The SR 37/Grand Valley Blvd. intersection is completely closed. The bridge over Sartor Ditch is still under construction. Although the bridge appears to be nearing completion, it won't be opened to vehicular traffic until the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass over SR 37 completes, which probably won't happen until the summer of 2020.

Checked out OpenStreetMap. Alignment-wise, Grand Valley Blvd. looks accurate. I believe, but am not positive, that the overpass and road section just west of the overpass will be signed Grand Valley Blvd., not South Street. You may want to consider modifying that.

[tdindy88]

I also went through Bloomington and Martinsville this evening and the lack of a SR 45 shield was noticable. I suppose you could supplant a 45 shield in the spot where the 37 shield is now (on the reassurance shields, not the signs) when SR 37 is removed.

My dad and I were looking at the Ohio Street intersection and he was asking about the spot just northeast of that intersection and was wondering why that area looked like that, with the intersection as it was. We were thinking that I-69 might be slighlty south of where SR 37 is today. I'm assuming the Walgreens there and other businesses will get to stay.

Also, one noticable consequence of the recent work around SR 37 in Martinsville, there's now a lack of gas stations immediately off of SR 37 with the access to Grand Valley gone and at least three gas stations taken out at Ohio Street, SR 44 and just north of Martinsville. Which isn't real good considering the already lack of services along most of I-69. I was wondering what was up with the plans for a gas station at US 50 and I-69, I thought I saw news that they planned to build one there this year.

Finally, talk about the 2008 flood took me back at bit. That year I worked at a summer camp in Bloomington and I drove home that weekend, passing through Martinsville on Friday evening hours before the rain started. When I had to return to the camp on Sunday I had to take SR 67 down to SR 39 and go around Martinsville to reach SR 37. A routing that I'm sure will get busier usage in the coming years.

[ITB]

Here's a few pictures of the current construction underway in Martinsville, Indiana. At the time, crews are at work building an overpass that will carry Grand Valley Blvd. over State Road 37 (future I-69). Photos were taken November 2, 2019, unless otherwise noted.


Looking south toward State Road 37 and the construction zone where work is underway to build the overpass that will carry Grand Valley Blvd.


The piers and western abutment (foreground) for the new Grand Valley Blvd. overpass; looking east.


Different perspective of the piers and the work zone; looking southeast. In the foreground (right) are deck pans for the future overpass.


Expansive view of the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass piers and western abutment; looking southeast.


Another perspective of the western abutment and piers; looking northeast.


Closer look at the overpass piers and eastern abutment; looking east.

[ITB]

A few more pictures. Again, the photos were taken November 2, 2019, unless otherwise noted. And, remember, to expand the pictures, right click, etc.


The multi-use path that will connect Martinsville High School to the bridge and roadway that will carry Grand Valley Blvd. over Sartor Ditch (right) and SR 37 (left, but out of view); looking south.


Looking north toward SR 37 from the spot where the Martinsville High School multi-use path connects to the bridge that will carry Grand Valley Blvd. over Sartor Ditch.


The MSE (Mechanized Stabilized Earth) retaining wall of the western abutment for the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass; looking east.


Looking west from the bridge over Sartor Ditch toward South Street in Martinsville. This is the spot where Grand Valley Blvd. will link into South Street.


Swinging around 180 degrees from the previous picture, here's the bridge over Sartor Ditch; looking east. Note the wide sidewalks.


Another look at the piers and western abutment of the Grand Valley Blvd. overpass; looking east.


Perspective showing the falsework on the bridge over Sartor Ditch; looking west. And, yes, that is a homeless encampment on the left.


Closer look at the encampment. Winters in Indiana can be rough. Days and nights can be bitterly cold. It's not common, but overnight temperatures do on occasion fall below 0°F in January and February. Let's hope these folks find appropriate shelter. 

[X99]

Those are some interesting looking bridge supports. I assume this is the "decorative" aspect added in so Martinsville would agree with the project?

Also, I updated OSM again. I tried to straighten out the bridge and moved the multi-use path to match what I think looked like the picture. Took out the South Street line overlapping the construction line, and moved the construction line to replace it. (I'm assuming that the Grand Valley Boulevard name will be carried to the Home Avenue intersection.)

Oh yeah, one more question: They're letting you walk around the construction site?

[edwaleni]

I just finished surveying the use of Sartor Ditch.

It originates northeast of town around Reuben Drive, for reasons I can't understand, it doesn't increase in capacity as it moves south along the east side of town.

All of that urban runoff collection is then funneled through 2 pipes under IN-37 with a trench depth of less than 5 feet when farther up the ditch has a much deeper draft. And then it narrows into a weed and tree choked 3 foot ditch before Indian Creek.

The fact they haven't had a serious flood before this is probably pure luck.  I see Morgan County hasn't done much past Mahalasville Road to improve the ditch since the flood.

So any excess runoff is going to get choked south of IN-37 and work its way back into town. There is no retention mechanisms here along the way except street culverts, so any large runoffs simply back up at each culvert until it clears.  But if the final culvert is choked out, it doesn't matter what improvements they make farther up.

Looking at older and newer overheads of Martinsville, I suspect the problem started when they built the new high school east of town. They put in 3 new drainage tile to catch runoff from the parking lot, the football and baseball fields.  But the city did nothing to improve the additional runoff south of South Street. So it just simply backed up into the Spring Valley Mobile Home park.  You can see where the city replaced many of the original steel culverts, but didn't increase the draft of the ditch. I don't know the specifics of that mobile home park, but I would guess they have had several floods there over the years. Also when that retail center was built on the west side of Ohio Street north of IN-37, the main drainage runoff is a tile that runs into, yep, Sartor Ditch.

That explains why it backed up all the way into the Kroger.

I am sure the Morgan County has known about this for some time, but as long as the backup never impacted them in a serious way, just bothered some mobile home owners, I am sure there was a lot of lassez faire involved.

Suggestion:

Increase the ditch draft south of IN-37/I-69 all the way down Mahalasville Road. Purchase the vacant land west of the Indiana Power substation and create an overflow retention pond. Give it a high inflow at the east end and low out flow at the west end. This will do a better job of catching large runoffs from a local rain event. Is low maintenance and not subject to brush/log jams.

[The Ghostbuster]

Looking at aerial views of SR-37/future Interstate 69 through Martinsville, it looks like upgrading the existing roadway to Interstate Standards will be a tight squeeze. Did they ever propose building a bypass of the existing SR-37 bypass? Also, how many homes and businesses will have to be demolished in order to convert the SR-37 bypass into Interstate 69?